Pakistan, Tajikistan pledge to strengthen cooperation

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Pakistan and Tajikistan have pledged to strengthen and enhance cooperation in a series of high-level meetings during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to the Central Asian country.

Sharif met his Tajik counterpart Qohir Rasulzoda on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of projects outlined during a meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon, according to Tajikistan's government press service.

The meeting between Sharif and Rasulzoda was the final event of the Pakistani prime minister's two-day visit to Tajikistan. Sharif then departed for Astana, Kazakhstan, to participate in a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

In a separate statement, the Pakistani prime minister's press service said Sharif and Rasulzoda "expressed satisfaction on the steadily expanding bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest and reaffirmed their shared desire to further strengthen the existing fraternal ties."

Sharif praised the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement as "a historic moment in bilateral ties between Pakistan and Tajikistan," expressing hope that it would open new prospects for bilateral cooperation.

The prime minister also pledged to pursue enhanced engagement with Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan, in line with Pakistan's Vision Central Asia policy. He emphasized that regional connectivity would remain a key component for sustainable long-term socio-economic development of the region.

Sharif invited Tajikistan to use Karachi port for transit trade and to consider the construction of more railroads between the two countries. He noted that Pakistan plans to host an international meeting aimed at developing transport routes in Central Asian countries and promoting regional trade.

Sharif also welcomed the recent start of international flights between Pakistan and Tajikistan, and emphasized the importance of increasing the number of these flights. He reiterated the need for enhanced cooperation in the fields of culture, education, sports, and people-to-people contacts.